View Full Version : To Dimple or not to Dimple?
jeffreywp1
07-26-2014, 08:57 PM
I'm making 8 oz plus reverse sear hamburgers tomorrow. Normally when I grill or pan fry burgers I mash the center thinner so when it plumps up it's still flat. Do I need to do this for reverse sear?
peeps
07-26-2014, 08:59 PM
Dimple...
IamMadMan
07-26-2014, 09:06 PM
I also dimple for even burgers.
HarrynVegas
07-26-2014, 09:07 PM
I am not happy with my grilled burgers. They taste so much better cooked on a flat-top! I'm confused.
Dreggs
07-26-2014, 09:07 PM
oh yes
grillinguy247
07-26-2014, 09:08 PM
Dimple
guero_gordo
07-26-2014, 09:19 PM
Never heard of dimpling before the WalMart commercials.
jeffreywp1
07-26-2014, 09:37 PM
I am not happy with my grilled burgers. They taste so much better cooked on a flat-top! I'm confused.
It's hard to beat a burger off the flat top or cast iron skillet cooked up in its own rendered fat. What if for the low and slow smoking portion of my cook I keep the burgers in a skillet and then do a reverse sear in another hot skillet. It could be the best of both worlds!
BBQchef33
07-26-2014, 11:04 PM
dimple.. always!!!
retired trucker
07-26-2014, 11:32 PM
I cook mine in a cast iron skillet with a small layer of bacon dripppins in the pan for that extra flavor. Used to use butter, but the burnt butter gives off a acrid taste to the burgers. Will grill on the charcoal grill if having company over, and add some brats, but for me, I prefer the skillet.
Dang, just thinking about this makes me hungry. Good thing I don't have any ground beef thawed out. I am a sucker for a good burger.
Blessings, :pray:
Omar
BBQchef33
07-27-2014, 12:13 AM
i think ineed to clarify something...
i always dimple if im using fresh beef and hand forming the burgers. I've also tried pushing all the way thru and leaving a hole in the center. I read that promotes even cooking and then the meat swells the hole closes up anyway. Thats works ok...
but i found that freezing the patty first and cooking it from frozen stops it from bulging up.. Not sure how well that will work on 8 ounce burgers.. i usually do 1/3 lbs.
Rob96
07-27-2014, 04:47 AM
I have been dimpling ever since I saw it on Alton Brown I believe.
Head Foolz
07-28-2014, 12:33 PM
Dimple
It's hard to beat a burger off the flat top or cast iron skillet cooked up in its own rendered fat. What if for the low and slow smoking portion of my cook I keep the burgers in a skillet and then do a reverse sear in another hot skillet. It could be the best of both worlds!
We save all our trimmings from meats at our comps. Throw them in the crockpot on low until they render/melt down. Pour it through cheese cloth for filtering then into a container to be used later. We then use the lard to confit burgers, steak, porch chops, chicken, etc.... Have reverse seared using both bbq grill and cast iron. Best damn food one can eat. Just needs to be done in moderation or your cardiologist will fall off his stool.
NickTheGreat
07-28-2014, 12:53 PM
Yes. Always
jeffreywp1
07-28-2014, 01:14 PM
I dimpled and put a pat of butter on top for the smoking portion of the cook. I posted pron on another post.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=194593
I'm going to be the odd one out here. When I cook burgers, I usually find the fat is completely rendered at 160*-165*, which is what causes the burger to swell. If I wait until the burger reaches that temp to take it off, then it's still going to climb 5* or so and the end result is a burger that is overcooked. I actually want to take off the burgers before it reaches this temperature, i.e., just before it swells. If I take it off before it swells, then those divots remain in my burgers. Your mileage may vary depending on your cooking method (and also your preference), but this is what I typically find with mine.
Incidentally, E. coli is killed at 155* (with no rest time needed; we're told to bring ground meat to 160-165* to give us some leeway). I generally shoot for 150*-155* as I know from experience my burgers' IT keeps rising about 5*. Note that the rest time is important. If you rest your meat longer, you can reduce the temperature. For instance, cooking and holding your burger to only 145* for 2 minutes will kill 90% of the E. coli, and for 3 minutes will kill 99% of the E. coli. We want to kill more than 99%, but you get the idea.
I guess the short answer is "no, I don't dimple," but I'm certainly not against it.
jeffreywp1
07-28-2014, 05:01 PM
I am not happy with my grilled burgers. They taste so much better cooked on a flat-top! I'm confused.
Have you tried reverse sear? This was my first time doing it and it was very good.
BBQchef33
07-29-2014, 01:52 PM
big dimple in this mario batali video
http://www.mariobatali.com/videos/shape-a-burger/ (http://www.mariobatali.com/videos/)
Bludawg
07-29-2014, 03:17 PM
If I think about it I do if not that's ok too but it is hard to dimple a Juicy Lucy and I have been diggin that gal as of late.
jeffreywp1
07-29-2014, 05:13 PM
I normally dimple when grilling, but have gotten away with not. It suck when you don't and an 8oz patty blows up like a balloon. Then I have to decide who I give that one to.:mrgreen: This was my first time doing a reverse sear, and I didn't think to look and see if the dimple filled back out or not. I will say I did like the smoke flavor from reverse searing.
Enrico Brandizzi
07-30-2014, 11:48 AM
Yesterday evening I dimpled evev though I applyed reverse searing method. It worked great!
jeffreywp1
08-03-2014, 03:56 PM
I'm going to be the odd one out here. When I cook burgers, I usually find the fat is completely rendered at 160*-165*, which is what causes the burger to swell. If I wait until the burger reaches that temp to take it off, then it's still going to climb 5* or so and the end result is a burger that is overcooked. I actually want to take off the burgers before it reaches this temperature, i.e., just before it swells. If I take it off before it swells, then those divots remain in my burgers. Your mileage may vary depending on your cooking method (and also your preference), but this is what I typically find with mine.
Incidentally, E. coli is killed at 155* (with no rest time needed; we're told to bring ground meat to 160-165* to give us some leeway). I generally shoot for 150*-155* as I know from experience my burgers' IT keeps rising about 5*. Note that the rest time is important. If you rest your meat longer, you can reduce the temperature. For instance, cooking and holding your burger to only 145* for 2 minutes will kill 90% of the E. coli, and for 3 minutes will kill 99% of the E. coli. We want to kill more than 99%, but you get the idea.
I guess the short answer is "no, I don't dimple," but I'm certainly not against it.
For reverse sear, what temp do you pull off indirect heat?
columbia1
08-04-2014, 10:59 AM
Always dimple, much more consistent temps in the meat!!(the center is not underdone)
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